Door-operating mechanism



Sept.. 9 1924.

P. E. MILLER DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Novi 29, 1922 ,mwml 1 i lwmm Y l. f {v wll all@ EME lNvEpToR V ul/L- Sept. 9 1924. 1,508,113

` E. MILLER vD001?. OPERATING MECHANISM lFiled Nov. 29, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheer 2 LZI; A f l 2 WITNESS INVENTOR WIM/JMW- y {(MM-j,

Patented Sept.. i9,

Unirse `srares earner oFF-Ice.

FRANK E. MILLER, or Prrrsisunerr,` rnrmsnvanra, assis-NOR 'ro PRESSED STEEL CAR COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH,YPENN SEY.

SYLVANIA, A CORPORATLLON OF JER- DOOR-OPERATNG 'Tv/IECI-IANISM.

Application filed Nvemberze, i922. ser-iai No. 653,919.

To all whom t may concern:

f Be it known that I, FRANK E. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing in Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates torailway dump cars and more particularly to that type in which the floor is provided with horizontal discharge doors and vhas for an object the with a plurality of supporting membersl which are simultaneously moved out of door supporting positions by slidable means operatively connected with the door support,- ing members. d

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings in which likel reference characters referto like parts, Fig. 1 is a-plan view of a portion of a railway car embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational viewof the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2 in which the operation of the invention is illustrated.

Referring now in detail` to the drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the .side wall of a railway car and 2 indicates the discharge doors which are preferably hinged to or adjacent the center sill 3 andhaving their free edges adjacentvthe side wall 1. Each of the doors 2 may bev made of wood or metal and constructed in any preferred manner. Each of these doors is provided with strengthening members 1, each of vdoor supporting positions.

members 6 for eachl discharge door, which which is preferablyU shaped in cross section' for the greater partv of -its length and having a horizontal flange 45 which is secured to thecdoor.'v These members extend out-.

wardly beyond the free edge of the door and preferably beyond the side wall 2 and are` adaptedto ybe engaged by members 6 to support the door in closed position. The. outer end'portion of these members 4L instead of being U-shaped in cross section are provided with top portions thus forming sockets for the reception of a bar or other suitable door closing means. j

The members' are spaced apart and adjacent their upper ends are 'pivotally con# nected with bracket members `8 which are secured to the side wall 1. Each of the members adjacent its lower end is provided with a ledge 9 the upper surface of which is The j pivotv these members will, after they l.have been moved out of engagement with the members t, move by gravity to their proper There are two members are spaced apartand when operated preferably move in opposite directions.

Y, Between these members a vstationary member 10 is provided which is secured to the side wall 1 which member is provided with an outwardly extending 'T-shaped projection 11 on which a member 12 is sli'dably mount-` ed.. shaped opening 13 which is adapted toV re-4 ceive the projection 11 and when the members are in their operative positions it will be noted that they will be so interlocked that they will not become accidentally separated and yet free movement of the member 12 relative. to the member A10 will be permitted.

The member 12 kis provided with a projec- This member 121s providedwith a Tl tion 111 on which `the inner end portions of links 15 are loosely mounted, the outer end portion of each link being pivotally connect# ed with one of the members 6. vThe member 12 is also provided with stop shoulders16- excessive distance. 1When the stop shoulders 16 are in engagement with the stop shoulders 17 the lower end portion of the member 12 extends some distance below the member 1.0 and forms a striking block which may be struck by a s ledge or other suitable tool to open the door.

In the present embodiment of the invention the upper ends ot 'the links are provided with slots 18 through which the projection lil on the member 10 extends. These slots are lor the purpose ot permitting one member 6 and link 15 connected therewith to move independently ot the other member 6 and link and for the purpose ot permitting both links to move relative to the member 12 all oit which will hereinafter be fully described. lt is to be understood, however, that these slots may be omitted in some cases where independent movement ot thev members 6 is not desired, in such cases the projection 14 will pass through circular openings in the links, such as illustratedfat the opposite ends of the links, instead of through slots.

To hold the members 6 in locked door supporting positions, cams 1Q are providedlv which are pivotally mounted on the member 10. Each of these cams is provided with a cam surface Ztl-which is adapted to be moved'in'to and out of locking engagement witha vertical-surface of one ot the members 6 and is further provided with a lug 21 which when the cam is moved to locking position willengage a horizontal surface 22 formed on the member 6 and when in such engagement will prevent the cam trom moving downwardly accidentally to an inoperativev position.

Assuming the door to be in closed position as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and it is desired to open it, the operator moves the cam members 19A out of engagement with the members 6 and then strikes the lower-,end of the member 19 an upward blow with a Sledge, causing the memberr 1Q and adjacent ends of the. links 15 to move upwardly, which in turn causes the members 6, through the medium ot the links 15, to be pulled toward each other and out of engagement with the end portions of the members l secured to the door 2 at which time the door will be released and will move downwardly to its open position. After the door has been released and has moved downwardly the member 12 will move downwardly by gravit-y until the shoulders l'engage the shoulders 1S, and the members 6 and links 15 will move to their door supporting positions as shownl in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. l

To close the door the operator inserts a bar or other suitable device in the end portion of one of the strengthening members etand bythe use of such bar raises the door until the tops 7 of the members will engage the lower bevelled surfaces 23 oit the members 6 and a continued upward movement otl the door will cause the members 6 to move toward each other and out ot the path et the ends of the members as shown in full lines in F ig. 4 until such time as the door is closed at which time the members 6A will; move by gravity to their door supporting positions, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1. lt will here be noted that the members 6 are movable independently of each other when the door is being closed. rlhis movement has been provided for the purpose of permitting either one oi the members 6 to move into door supporting position independent ot the other so that shouldthe door or members et become so deformed that the end portions ot these members 4L will not lbe inr horizontal alignment when the door is being' closed, one ot the members 6 will be permitted to move into door supporting position. The door will thus be supported until the operator forces the other side ofthe door upwardly a sutlicient distanceY to permit the other mem-- ber 6 tomove to its proper door supporting position. After' the members 6 are Iin their proper door supporting positions the operatormoves the cam members 19 into lockY` ing engagement with the members 6.

It will be apparent to those skilledin the art to which this invention appertains that changes in the term and arrangement ot the several parts forming the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended'claims.

HavingY thus described the invention, what l claim is new an-ddesire to secure by Letters P atent is':-l

1. In aidumpgc'ar, adi'sehargeudoor, a plurality otspac'ed members movable into and out of supporting'positions with said door, and slidable means arranged between said members, for moving said'` members out ot supporting positions with said door, simultaneously. n

2. ln a dump caiga discharge door, a plurality ofspaced members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to support said door in its closed position, said members having door releasing `movements in opposite direction, and means for simultaneously moving said members to their door releasing positions. i

3. In a dump, car,a discharge door, a plurality ot pivoted door.v supporting members movable out ot supporting position withsaid door, and link means for operating said members, simultaneously, said link means being arrangedbelow the pivot points of said members.

4f. In a dump car, a dischargedoor, a plu-- rality otmembers torsupporting saiddoor in its closed position, means for simultaneously movingsai'd members out of door supporting position7 and means whereby vi o said members are'permitted to move into their door supporting positions independently of each other.

5. Ina dump car, a discharge door, memybers pivotally connectedwith said car for supporting said door in its closed position, a stationary member secured to said car between said members, a member slidably mounted on said stationary member,- and means connecting said slidable and pivotal members adapted to move said pivotal members out of door supporting position when said slidable member is moved.

6. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said cai' for supporting said door in` its closed position and means for simultaneously moving said members out of their door supporting positions, said means comprising a vertically slidable member operatively connected with said door supporting members.

'l'. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car for supporting said. door in its closed position, and means for simultaneously moving said members out of door supporting positions, said means comprising a vertically movable member, and links connecting said member with said door supporting members.

8. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car Jfor supporting said door in its closed position, and means for simultaneously moving said members out of their door supporting positions, said means comprising a slidable member arranged between said door supporting members, and links connecting said slidable member with said door supporting members.

9. In a dump car, a discharge door, members mounted on lsaid car adapted to be moved into and out of door supporting positions, means Jfor simultaneously moving said members out of door supporting position and means whereby said members are permitted to move to door supporting positions independently of each other.

10. In a dump car, adischarge door, members mounted on said car and movable into and out of supporting positions with said door, a member'slidably mounted on said car between said members and links operatively connecting said door supportin members and said slidable member.

11. In a dump car, a discharge door, a plurality of door supporting members pivotally mounted on said car and means fory operatively connecting said members, said means causing said members to move toward each other simultaneously when the door is opened and permitting independent movement of said members when the door is being closed.

12. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to be moved into and out of supporting posishaped means `for supporting said doora member' slidably mounted on said car, links operatively connecting .said means and members, `said links having slotted connections with said slidable member. 1 14. In a dump car, a discharge door, members mounted on said car for supporting said door in its closed position, and means for simultaneously moving said members out of supporting positions, said means comprising a vertically movable member, a projection on said movable member and links connected with said door supporting members and projection.

15. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to move into and out of door supporting positions, a movable member mounted on said car, links pivotally connected with said pivotal members, and slidably connected with said movable member.

, 16. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to be moved into and out of door supporting positions, and v means for simultaneously moving said members in one direction and permitting independent movement 'of said members lin the opposite direction.

17. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car adapted` to b'emoved intoand out of door supporting positions, 1a member lmovably mounted on said carv and connected with said members,

for moving said members out of door lsup-v porting positions, and means whereby said pivotal members are moved to door supporting positions independently of each other and of said movable member.

18. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally mounted on said car adapted to support said door in closed position, means Jfor simultaneously moving said lmembers out of door supportingpositions, said means comprising links pivotally connected with said members, said links having slots formed therein, a memberfor operating said 1 links and a proJection on said member' adapted to eXtend through said slots.

19. In a dump car, a discharge door, members pivotally connected with said car for supporting said door in its closed position, a member slidably mounted on said car, a;

link connecting each of said door supporting members and said slidable member, said link -snpporti-ngfl position, .andi movable-independently of saidsli'dable member into `r:door -supporting position.

1520. 'Ina dump'lcarya discharge?doorffdoor supporting members '.pivotally connected with' said foar, l'means for simultaneously movingsaidmembers outof-v` door supporting positions, said means comprising a--movable meniber-iinks connecting said siidabie meinber `and said doorsnpporting Pmembers-,v and -loose o-onn'eetionsforisaid llinksfwiiereby said door -snpportingi members may -movelto Atheir .doorsupporting` 'positions lindependenily 'of each other.

:..meefi-ie :21.* nV a dnmpv ear, a ldisoilargedoor, door supporti-ng members v-pivo'ally wconnected with said ear, said members having oisets Aadjacent their upperends, members "for 1ocking saiddoor supportinglmembersin their 'door-supporting 'positions'l and projections Von said 1rocking nieinbers* adapted toengage said o'ifsetswben said looking members lare in looking positions.

#In Atestimony whereof I aX my signature inthe presence of two Witnesses.

FRNIQE. MILLER.

Witnesses v`KATHLEEN LKLEBER, "HnrBURN E. ANDERSON. 

